


Red Squad

by boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Deep Space Nine - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Red Squad, Star Trek - Freeform, Trauma, Valient - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-08 18:36:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13464159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore/pseuds/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore
Summary: Based on the Deep-Space Nine episode Valient, told from the perspective of Captain Tim Watters.





	1. Chapter 1

Captain Tim Watters sipped his coffee, relishing the quiet of his ready room.  

 _“Captain’s log, stardate_ _51801.9:  “Another day of hobbling along at warp 3.2.  We know the Dominion Battleship is nearby, but we can’t get within sensor range to collect data.  The crew is frustrated; so am I.  Mr. Parton has at least managed to restore warp capability.  ”_

He takes a moment to rub his neck; his muscles are sore from a long day of reconnaissance.    Eight long months behind enemy lines, cut off from the outside world, no closer to completing the mission entrusted to him by Captain Ramirez.    He swallows a couple of pills to combat the exhaustion; he knows he should sleep, but there is too much work to do.   And for weeks, sleep has been full of images he'd prefer to forget: the bridge full of darkness and screams, Ramirez covered in blood, his own futile efforts to save the captain.   Eight months, and he feels the weight of that sacrifice each time he fails to retrieve that data.    Watters turns wearily to the status reports on his desk, and after an hour or two, mercifully falls asleep.

_And he is back at the academy, sitting in a differential equations course.   Trying to think of anything other than the look on his mother’s face when he failed his first year at the academy, the looks of the cadets upon his return, knowing he was back only because his aunt was a high-ranking admiral. And the classroom turns into the bridge of the Valiant, and he is covered with blood, stumbling to his station, certain they are seconds from death…_

Watters wakes up in a sweat.  A quick shower, a few pills, and he walks onto the bridge, looking confident.   _This is my ship, my mission, my crew._ Those events were a lifetime ago.

_Captain’s log, stardate 51825.8:  “While traveling in the Kepla sector, we took on two passengers. A civilian and a Starfleet ensign were traveling to Ferenginar when they were surrounded by Jem’Hadar fighters and almost killed.  They’re an interesting pair; the boy is Benjamin Sisco’s son, and Ensign Nog is the first Ferengi in Starfleet."_

A chime sounds.

“Come in.”

Commander Farris walks in, looking concerned.

“What can I do for you, commander?”

“I’m concerned about allowing a civilian on the ship, much less a reporter.  Already he’s fraternizing with the crew, getting people to tell their stories.  Chief Collins was in tears this morning; apparently homesick from a conversation with him.  Two days and he’s already disrupting the crews' focus.”

“What do you suggest we do with him?”

“Confine him to quarters until we complete our mission.   He serves no purpose aboard the ship.”

“That seems a little extreme.  He’s Benjamin Sisko’s son, he understands the realities of war.  Let’s bring him in for a chat.”

In his quarter’s later, Watters stares at the ceiling, unable to sleep.  Their conversation with Jake was deeply unsettling.  Jake had looked at him with disdain, clearly dismissive of his concerns.    _He’s just a boy, undisciplined and out of his depth._   But Benjamin Sisko was a decorated officer, and it was clear that Jake saw Watters as a pale imitation of a Starfleet captain.  When he was so much more.  Commander of red squad.  Entrusted with a mission behind enemy lines, a contribution to the war unmatched by even the commander of deep-space nine.   As he drifted off to sleep, he almost believed his own words.


	2. Chapter 2

9 months earlier:

Watters remembers watching in disbelief as members of Red Squad were led away in disgrace.   Starfleet cadets charged with sabotage, working to overthrow a civilian government?   It was almost unimaginable. 

His first disastrous year at the academy was almost erased from his mind.   Putting in 20-hour days, his grades were better than 90% of his classmates, his physical training impeccable, and he was being groomed for command.  Despite the shocking events of the previous year, he was exhilarated when he was chosen to be part of the elite Red Squad.   A starship, run by cadets, making the rounds of the entire federation.   Watters was now a Starfleet officer with his first command, and no one would ever again question his fitness to wear the uniform.  He was invincible.

Captain Ramirez sits in the ready room, reading through the crew readiness reports.

A chime sounds.

“Come.”

Watters walks in.

“Sit down, Cadet Watters.”

Ramirez leans back in his chair, looking thoughtful.

“I read your report on yesterday's training exercise.  Why do you continue to run battle simulations?   We’re hardly likely to be attacked in federation space.”

“It’s clear that a war with the dominion is inevitable.  Changelings have already replaced Starfleet officers and government officials, and we only narrowly avoided a war with the Klingons.  When war comes, I want my crew to be ready to fight.”

“Your crew is made up of cadets, Mr. Watters.  They will hardly be on the front lines.  If there is a war, your crew will be sent to other ships to serve with more experienced officers.”

“They aren’t just cadets, sir, they’re red squad.  The best in the academy, with the best training.  As captain, it is my responsibility-“

“Mr. Watters, this is a training cruise.  One day you may have a command, but for now, you’re here to learn.  I know you feel like you have something to prove-“

“No, sir.  I just want my crew to be prepared-“

“And they will be.  After this mission, you will all go on to serve Starfleet for many years.  Let’s take it easy on the tactical drills for a few days, ok?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

 Watters sat with Karen Farris in the mess hall later that evening.

“You should have heard the captain. ‘I know you feel like you have something to prove’.  I’m just doing my job.”

Karen sat back, saying nothing.   She wrapped her hands around her cup of tea, her muscles tense.

“You agree with him?”

She was silent a moment.

“Tim, we’re cadets.  Why would we expect to fight the dominion?”

He opened his mouth to argue, and she put a hand on his arm.

“Let’s just go home.  I have an early shift in the morning.”

Turning off the lights in their quarters, Karen stretched out and called, “Tim, come to bed.”

“Just a little more work to finish up. I’ll join you soon.”

When she woke for her morning shift, he was asleep, slumped over his console.  The battle simulation reports were still visible on his desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

_Captain’s log, stardate 51826.4:  “Our guests are getting settled in.  Mr. Nog has some interesting thoughts about dealing with our engine problems.”_

The door chimed.   Karen Farris walked in and handed him a PADD.

"Status report, Captain."

"Thank you, Commander."  

He looked thoughtful. 

"Is there anything else, sir?"

"Send in Mr. Nog."

Nog walked in, standing at attention.

"At ease, ensign.  Mr. Parton recalibrated the lateral impulse control system; the impulse injector is functioning normally again.  Tell me, how are you so familiar with the workings of a class 7 warp drive?"

"The defiant has an identical engine.  Chief O'Brien showed me a few tricks to keep her in optimal shape."

 “Excellent.  As of now, you are chief engineer, with a rank of Lieutenant Commander.  Your first assignment is to figure out why we can't get past warp 3.2."

 _"_ Chief engineer? Excuse me, sir, but I don't think I'm ready for this."

"None of us were ready for the responsibility thrust upon us, Mr. Nog.  But each of us found a way to rise to the occasion."

_Captain's log, stardate 51586.7 “Thanks to Ensign Nog’s modifications, we’re moving at warp 4 for the first time in weeks.  I've decided to put him in charge of the engine room.   Mr. Parton has some reservations about the safety of these changes, but after weeks of moving at a snail's pace, we're all ready to roll the dice.”_

Excitement raced through him.  The completion of their mission was in reach.  Eight months of radio silence would finally be broken.  The burden of command could finally be lifted from his shoulders. There was no way that starfleet would accept a battlefield commission from cadet to captain as anything other than a temporary measure.   It would be a relief to let go of the struggle to live up to Ramirez' sacrifice, and this would surely prove to his aunt that he was worthy of the uniform. 

But what had they truly accomplished in eight months?  Reconnaissance.  Gathering intel.   Important information, to be sure, but hardly the stuff of legends.  His crew was capable of so much more.  Surely they deserved the opportunity to test their skills.   If only they could destroy the battleship, turn the tide of the war. 

 _Those weren't your orders.  Captain Ramirez didn't want you to fight._   Reluctantly, he put those thoughts out of his mind, and focused on the reports from his science officers.  A steady flow of data was coming in from the probe they had just launched. 


	4. Chapter 4

8 months earlier:

Captain's log, stardate   51586.4: "The training cruise is almost finished.   We are on our way back to earth.  The crew performed admirably, especially Cadet Watters.  In the past few weeks, he has let go of his obsession with battle drills and taken the crew through their paces in simulations of first contact, diplomatic negotiations, and dealing with engine malfunctions, medical crises, and information gathering.  The crew has collected information from 20 planets over 3 solar systems in the sector, and Farris has led away missions to test soil, explore plant and animal life, and conduct survival training in less hospitable environments.  In a few weeks, the cadets will graduate and receive their first assignments. "

And I'm due for a few days of shoreleave, thought Ramurez.   Ordering a tea from the replicator, he stood up to stretch his legs.   An hour or two in the gym would kill the boredom. 

Ramirez sipped his tea, about to step onto the bridge when his combadge sounded. 

"Captain, there's a message for you from Admiral Ross.  For your eyes only."

 "I'll take it in my ready room."

Ross appeared on the screen. 

"Captain Ramirez, you have new orders.  Tensions with the Dominion have reached a breaking point, and war is imminent.   We have intel that the Dominion has built a state-of-the art starship.  You are to collect data on that ship, then return to federation space.  Be sure to maintain radio silence during your mission."

His screen goes blank, and he goes to the bridge.  Watters will not be happy at being relieved, but it's time for the trained officers to take on command roles.

As he steps onto the bridge and heads for the turbolift, he hears Cadet Collins' panicked voice:

“Long range sensors are detecting a Cardassian ship!”

"On screen."

A Cardassian warship appears, coming out of warp.  A second later, phaser fire hits the ship.  Sparks fly out of the main science station, and Cadet Ryan crumples to the ground. 

Watters stands up, and Ramirez takes the captain's chair.

"Shields up.  Red alert.  All hands to battle stations."

Officers come racing to the bridge, and the cadets move over to make way for the experienced officers.

"Divert more power to main phasers and shields."

 Lietuenant Cordin's fingers fly over the console.

"Fire."

"Direct hit, captain.  The ship has sustained significant damage to its forward hull and phaser banks."

The ship rocked, and more sparks exploded from the console.   Cordin was knocked off his chair, burns over his arms and face. 

"Cadet Collins, take over at tactical.  Status report."

"Shields at 40 percent."

"Fire at will."

"Firing phasers.  Another direct hit."

Simultaneously, the other ship powered up phasers, fired several bursts at the Valiant.

The captain was sent flying, and the shattered remains of the science console pierced his chest.   Ramirez gasped in pain, his breathing labored, blood gushing from his side, his leg burned.  

"Captain, we're losing shields.  Main power is failing."

"Switch to auxiliary power."

The ship goes dark.

"Captain, phasers are off line."

The captain struggled to his feet, slumping in his chair.  "Engineering, report."

"Captain, main power is out, phasers and engines are offline.  We're adrift."

"Mr. Rogers, gets those phasers working!"

"We're trying, sir."

"Cadet Collins, what's the status of the other ship."

"Sir, it's hard to tell without sensors, but I believe they're adrift as well."

"So we're racing the clock."

Cadet Watters strode forward.

"Captain, you need to get to sickbay."

Ignoring him, the captain hit his combadge.

"All departments, damage reports."

"Sickbay here.   Casualties are coming in from all over the ship.   Doctor Sandi is dead and several med techs are severely wounded.   Cadet Yewubdar is seeing to the injuries, and could use some extra hands."

Ramirez hit a button and said, "All nonessential personnel with medical training, report to sickbay immediately."

"Engineering to bridge.   Several of the crew have severe burns.  Commander Rogers refuses to go to sickbay.  We're working on restoring main power and weapons."

"Time is an issue here.   Get those phasers working, and then divert all power to weapons, including life support."

"Decks 3 and 5 have lost life support.  There's a hull breach on the forward nacelle."

"I'm going to engineering.   Cadet Watts, you have the conn."

"Captain, you're in no shape to direct these repairs-"

Ignoring him, Ramirez strides to the turbolift, applying pressure to his chest wound, gasping with the effort to move.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:  

_Captain's log, Tim Watters, stardate 51587.2._

He pauses, closing his eyes, and the events of the previous day flash through his mind.

_Sitting in the Captain's chair, Watter's hit his combadge, "Engineering, report."_

_"Parton here.  We've almost restored auxiliary power.   Phasers should be operational within the hour.  Commander Rodgers is dead.  Captain Ramrez is directing the repairs.  His injuries are pretty severe."_

_"I'm coming down to engineering.  Cadet Farris, you have the bridge."_

_Watters raced down to engineering to find the Captain lying on the floor, covered in blood.   Cadet Placid was running a medical tricorder over him, shaking his head._

_"There's nothing I can do.   If he'd come down sooner-"_

_"Cadet Watters, listen carefully.  The repairs will be done soon.  Once weapons are operational, destroy the enemy ship.  I am giving you a battlefield commission to Captain.  The ship is now yours.  This crew is now your responsibility."_

Shaking his head to clear it, Watters heads to the bridge.  He takes the captain's chair, tapping his combadge.

"All departments, report."

"Engineering here.   Main power is back online, weapons and shields operational.  We've fixed the hull breach, and evacuated decks 2, 4, 7, and 8.  We're working on repairs."

"Sickbay, Cadet Yewubdar here.   Casualties are bad.   All the regular officers are dead, as well as 10 cadets.  Three additional cadets were badly wounded, and several others are here with minor injuries."

"Tactical, run a full diagnostic of our weapons systems.  We can't be too careful.  I'll be in my ready room."

Watters collapses in a chair, his hands trembling a bit.  

"Computer, coffee, hot."

He is exhausted as he drinks his coffee.  It isn't nearly enough.  He still has a store of cordafin stimulants he took at the academy to get through all-nighters.  If there was ever a time...

Taking another swig of coffee, he swallows 2 pills and sighs. 

Getting out of his chair, he begins to make the rounds of the ship, beginning with engineering.  

"Mr. Parton, report."

"Repairs are underway.  Cadets Mihkall and Hadil are trying to restore life support to the affected decks and we're working on restoring warp capability.   Impulse engines are online."

"Are you confident you will be able to achieve those objectives without Commander Rogers?"

"Yes, sir."

"As of now, you are in charge of the engine room.   I’m giving you a battle commission to Lieutenant Commander."

"Sir?"

"As captain I can commission other officers as needed, and right now, we need you.  Cadets Mihkall and Hadil are now your main crew, both with ranks of Ensign."

His next stop was sickbay.  Cadet Yewubdar looked exhausted.  The morgue was filled with bodies, and there were several crew members in biobeds.

"Captain, we have 17 dead.  The seven officers supervising our crew, as well as 10 cadets.  The cadets in sickbay will be out of commission for some time, but I expect they will make a full recovery."

"You've done an excellent job under extremely trying services.  I'm leaving you in charge of sickbay. Enlist any officers necessary to handle casualties.  Continue your work, doctor."

Yewubdar was a bit dazed, but he took it in stride.  "Yes, sir."

Returning to the bridge, he called, "Cadet Collins, in my ready room."

The doors closed, and he turned to her.

"Cadet, how much tactical training do you have?"

"I took several advanced courses at the academy."

"You did a fine job during the battle.  It was your shot that destroyed the Cardie ship.   I am promoting you to Chief Petty Officer.  You'll man the tactical station and run security on the ship."

She swallowed.  

"Aye, sir." Walking to the bridge, Karen Farris stood up from the command chair and spoke directly to Watters.

"All departments report ready.   Repairs are still underway and impulse engines are online."

"Thank you, number one.   Commander Farris, open a channel to the entire ship."

"Attention all crew, this is your captain." 

He pauses, as he feels the strangeness of those words.

"Yesterday we suffered a great loss.   Captain Ramirez as well as 16 of our comrades perished in an unprovoked attack.   Our losses were great, but we prevailed and the Cardassian ship was destroyed.  We are on our own, behind enemy lines.  Captain Ramirez has entrusted us with a mission, one that is crucial to winning the war.   We will complete our mission.   We are Red Squad, and we are the best." 


	6. Chapter 6

_Captain's log, stardate 51827.3:  "We have completed our mission.  The data on the dominion battleship with doubtless save many lives.  The crew performed admirably."_

Waters smiled in satisfaction.  Eight months behind enemy lines, and not only did they survive, but they completed their mission.   Allowing himself the indulgence of a leisurely breakfast, he sat in his quarters, savoring his coffee.

The door chimed.

“Come in.”

Karen Farris entered the room, taking a chair beside him.

“Feeling good?”

A dozen replies sprung to mind, all appropriate for a starfleet captain, but instead he said simply, “Yes.”

He poured her some coffee and ordered breakfast, and they sat in companionable silence.

“So what’s next?”

“We’ve completed our mission.  The crew will return to earth, see their families, and get new assignments.”

“It’s hard to believe it’s over.  We’ve been on our for so long.  I can’t imagine being a junior officer again, much less an ensign.”

He nodded, lost in thought.

“Tim?”

He hesitates, then says “I’ve spoken to Mr. Parton.  When he went over the data from the probe, he found something unexpected.  There’s a flaw in the antimatter storage system.  The primary supports are made of a material called viterium, a material that becomes quite unstable if exposed to delta radiation.  We could destroy the ship with a single torpedo, if we got close enough.”

Farris looked thoughtful.

“Just say it.”

“It’s not my place anymore.   If we were still together-“

“We’re still friends.  Please.”

“You’re my captain.  I’ll support you whatever you decide.”

She drew a breath.

“We were here less than a year ago.  You insisting the crew be ready to fight, Captain Ramirez asking you to slow down.  Things are different now.  The crew stepped up, held its own, and completed the mission.  But to take on the Dominion’s most dangerous ship on our own, without a coordinated effort?  It’s crazy.”

They were silent a moment.  She spoke again.

“ Do you think we can do it?   Pull off something like that?”

“It’s a unique opportunity.  By the time Starfleet sends a fleet back, the flaw might be fixed.”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

He thought for a long moment.

“I do.”

“Let’s find Mr. Parton and start planning.”

_Captain's log, stardate 51827.8:  “After the meeting in the mess hall, the crew unanimously chose to attempt one more mission.   Mr. Nog had some technical concerns, but I am convinced that Chief Collins and Commander Farris can handle the manual targeting and navigation, and the crew can keep the ship in one piece until the torpedo is deployed.  The only sour note of the meeting came from Mr. Sisko."_

Watters sat in the ready room, looking over the technical specifications of the battleship, their torpedo, and checked for the millionth time for flaws in their plan.  Everything looked good.

 _“_ _You all probably know who my father is. Benjamin Sisko. So you know I'm not exaggerating when I say that he's considered to be one of the best combat officers in the fleet. And I'm telling you right now that even with the entire crew of the Defiant with him, my father would never try to pull off something like this. And if he can't do it, it can't be done.”_

He shakes the voice from his head.  Jake isn’t a Starfleet officer, and he has no idea what his father would do in this situation.  He’s never worn the uniform.

Suddenly a little paranoid, he turns on the monitor in the guest quarters.

_Jake:  This is suicide._

_NOG: No, it's not._

_JAKE: Nog, listen to me. We're in way over our heads here. Now someone told me that ship out there is twice the size of a Galaxy class starship and three times as strong._

_NOG: That's accurate._

_JAKE: And you really think we can go up against a ship like that?_

_NOG: I think that Captain Watters knows what he's doing._

_JAKE: Oh, really? Well, did you know that Watters has been taking cordafin stimulants for the past two months?_

He pressed the conn.   

“Lieutenant Shepard, report to my ready room.  Mr. Sisko will be spending the remainder of the mission in the brig.”

On the bridge, Watters rises from the Captain’s chair.

“Attention all crew, this is the captain.”

“We are about to engage the enemy. For eight months, I've told you to stay focused on one thing. Your duty. But now I want you to step back from your duty. Take a look around. And I don't mean look at the walls. I want you to look at this moment in your life. Take it in. Appreciate the fact that you are on this ship, with this group of people, at this point in history.  But understand one thing above all else.  This moment will never come again. Hold on to it. Savor it far as long as you can. You're Starfleet, you're Red Squad.  And you're the best. Now, let's get that battleship and we can all go home. Captain out.”

The ship proceeds at warp 6 until the battleship comes into view.  

“Mr. Nog, match course and speed.”

“They’ve spotted us.  They’re coming out of warp.”

“Helm, go to impulse.”

The Valiant cuts dangerously close to the battleship, sustaining hits.  Reports of hull breaches on several decks come in, but forcefields are holding, and shields are still functioning.

“Commander Farris, fire torpedo.”

A brilliant fireball erupts in the sky.  The battleship disappears.   A cheer rises up.

And the battleship reappears, undamaged.

Watters stares at the ship in disbelief.

“Did we miss the target?”

“No.  It just didn’t work.”

The bridge lurched to one side, jerking them out of their reveries.

“Evasive maneuvers.  Lay in a new course!”

The captain’s chair explodes, and everything goes dark.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You can also follow me on tumblr at boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore


End file.
